Aba, the commercial
hub of Abia State was yesterday literally turned into a war front as soldiers
clashed with protesting members of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and a
faction of the Movement for the Actualisation of Sovereign States of Biafra
(MASSOB), resulting in the death of eight people with over 30 injured.
The
pro-Biafra groups, who were protesting against the detention of IPOB leader and
Director of Radio Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu had the previous day ordered markets,
banks, schools and other business centres to close shop in solidarity.
They
converged at the National High School, along Port Harcourt Road, Aba, from
where they attempted to march and enforce the order, but were quickly dispersed
by soldiers and policemen.
The
protesters later converged on Asa road and the main motor park area where they
set up road blocks along Asa and St. Michael’s Road by Mosque and York Streets
which obstructed traffic and this led to another confrontation with security
agents.
Soldiers
were said to have, during this encounter, fired live bullets
and
in the process, a 20-year-old apprentice, Chidozie Okafor died on the spot
on
St. Micheal’s Road, at about 1:00 pm.
Okafor,
said to be the only son of his parents and a native of Omuohu, in Eziagu local
government council of Enugu State, reportedly went to a nearby canteen on St.
Michael’s road to eat and as he stepped out, was hit by one of the bullets. He
died instantly.
Another person who was hit on the belly and was bleeding profusely on the same St. Michael’s Road was rushed to an undisclosed hospital where he reportedly died.
Elsewhere,
the story was the same. On Azikiwe Road, two IPOB members were said to have
been shot dead, the same with Ariaria where four persons were also killed.
Although unconfirmed reports indicated that the death toll in Ariaria could be
up to 40.
In
the midst of the confusion, which ensued, shop owners, including banks, who had
opened for business hurriedly closed shops while the roads became deserted. All
the markets in the city were shut down.
It
was also observed that security was beefed up at the Ariaria Police Division to
ensure that the pro Biafra protesters did not burn the station, while soldiers
were stationed at Milverton, Azikiwe/Asa and Port Harcourt by Ngwa Road
junctions.
Speaking
on the development, MASSOB National Welfare Officer, (Uchenna Madu’s faction),
Jude Chukwu, said the protest was peaceful until soldiers and policemen started
shooting guns and tear gas. He added that over 30 members of the pro-Biafra
protesters sustained bullet wounds and were being treated in various hospitals.
Meanwhile,
the Abia State Police Commissioner, Habila Joshack has said he was not aware of
the death of any protester as he and his men were at the Ariaria Police Station
at the time of contacting him to ensure IPOB members did not burn the station.
Joshack said he was not sure his men used live bullets to control the protest, noting that he told his men to manage the protests in such a way that lives and property are protected and not lost. He warned that protesters in Abia should know that there is a ban on public protests for now, hence, no one is allowed to threaten the lives of others or put them in fear during protests
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